


Imaginary Deadlines

by sky_kaijou



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types
Genre: Aged Up, Birthday, Domestic, Fluff, M/M, Slice of Life, Violetshipping, Violetshipping Secret Santa, puppyshipping - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:29:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21916783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sky_kaijou/pseuds/sky_kaijou
Summary: Turning thirty doesn’t mean anything has to change. Or maybe it does.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Comments: 15
Kudos: 61





	Imaginary Deadlines

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MeetraK](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeetraK/gifts).



> For Meetra, for the Violetshipping Discord Secret Santa 2019.
> 
> Prompts: Aged Up / Developing Healthy Relationship

Seto Kaiba had lived his twenties scoffing at anyone who panicked about their thirtieth birthday. Time was merely a concept and arbitrary days didn’t mean a thing. He’d never really cared about birthdays, Christmas, the change of seasons outside needing to layer up or dress down.

Until he began to wake up next to blond hair splayed on the crisp white pillowcase. It has started as an accident. And then it became a treat. And now he just wasn’t going away.

Not that Seto really minded, but saying it aloud still felt like a weakness in his armour.

They’d been…doing this _thing_ …since they were twenty-three, backed off a few too many plum wines at an afterparty. Seto hadn’t really considered his sexuality, successfully avoiding all advances before then, and even now he didn’t want to label it. Maybe he was Gay? Bi? Ace? Jou-Sexual? It didn’t really matter. They ended up in a hotel with pounding hangovers and a two-way-exchange of “we never talk about this!”

It took another three months before their next encounter face-to-face, and cheeks burning bright before the same “mistake” took, this time they sat up as they sobered up and stared at each other with confusion before throwing their pride out the window. Whatever this was, it felt good.

On the third time, they’d exchanged numbers. On the seventh, they’d ordered dinner beforehand. On Seto’s twenty-sixth birthday, Katsuya had made him some custom artwork that Seto hung in his bedroom beside his bathroom door. That’s when he realised it was a little more serious than just scratching a platonic itch.

The closer that he inched towards his thirtieth birthday though, it started sinking in that this wasn’t just a short-term romance. Sometimes Jou was there, and sometimes he wasn’t. But he couldn’t keep leading him on if it wasn’t going anywhere. Katsuya was pretty cool about it, saying they didn’t need labels, and on his own thirtieth birthday he’d reiterated to his friends and family that it wasn’t a big deal to not have a ring or a family – not that Katsuya really wanted a ‘family.’

Mokuba had asked him directly; “do you love him?” and Seto had given a “yes” without a second thought before realising what that meant.

Seto looked at his phone. The date, _25 th October_, glared at him in crisp white. He too, was officially thirty. His stomach knotted. It shouldn’t have been that big of a deal. It made no difference if his birthday was today, tomorrow, or never.

It was just that today, was different. Maybe it’s because the build-up from twenty-nine was hard to forget. He’d also placed this imaginary deadline on himself and felt weak for succumbing to the thing he very much mocked. Quietly, but surely, the months rolled into a long stretch as work enveloped him. Work was still going stronger than ever, but Mokuba being twenty-five meant he’d taken over some of the reigns, and then delegated them off. In that time, Seto realised Money wasn’t as important as Happiness. Money couldn’t buy happiness. As cliché as it sounded, there was just one other person who wanted to know Seto for who he was, not just how much he earned or who he used to be, who just tutted as Seto would go off in a spiral and welcome him back softly each time, with nothing expected in return.

He sighed, placed his phone back down, and relaxed a little more into the pillows, noticing that his breathing patterns were the same. If there was ever a day where he could feel the seconds falling to the floor, it was today. He almost wanted the day to slow to a crawl, and not because it was all about him, but rather, it was about _him_.

There was no doubting Katsuya would have planned something elaborate, but still on a budget. An artistic Jack-of-all-trades, from painting, to baking, to decorating cakes. Organising treasure hunts, managing to get the coolest gifts from the strangest indie places. Everyone looked forward to Christmases and Birthdays when Katsuya was involved. You couldn’t help but not – it was almost a bigger treat for Katsuya who really enjoyed the build-up like a child. Seto was still surprised at how many friends Katsuya had kept and made, and how he never faltered in his passion for making others smile.

He never faltered on making Seto smile.

When Seto asked him why he’d bothered to try, Katsuya smirked and told him he “liked a challenge, and your delicious thighs.”

The minutes ticked on and Seto reminisced about the strangest things. The time that Katsuya threw Seto into the pool after three drinks, disregarding anything that could have been in his pockets. Seto had chased him into the house dripping wet and had retaliated once Katsuya thought it was safe with an ice-cream cone to the forehead, fluorescent blue dripping down his face.

That kind of carefreeness felt out-of-character for Seto, but was it really?

There was also the night where Katsuya had held his first gallery opening, and though Seto didn’t come (Katsuya had said “It would be weird, right? I want to succeed because I’m good, not because you’re there. Is that okay?”) the way Katsuya came home with a grin and running only on adrenaline and convenience store fried chicken, he still blabbered all night about it and Seto felt like he’d been _there_ with the vivid descriptions of the customers, Katsuya’s friends, and how Katsuya described wine as the worst drink in the world, yet he’d still drink it out of politeness.

And even the smaller things, like last night where Katsuya waited until Seto was almost sound asleep before blowing a raspberry on his stomach, causing a wrestle in the sheets, Katsuya’s eyes creasing as he screeched and laughed.

Maybe thirty would look as good on him too.

He felt the stir beside him and looked over to see those golden eyes smiling at him.

“Happy birthday, Set.”

“Happy birthday Katsu.”

Katsuya just laughed between a yawn. “You’re an idiot.”

“Is that a way to speak to someone on their birthday?”

“You’re the exception, not the rule.” Katsuya reached over and touched Seto on the nose, before throwing the covers off the bed. “Alright, you. Time to give you the day you’ve been waiting for.”

Seto sighed, breeze sweeping over his body, causing goosebumps over his arms.

-

Seto’s bespoke birthday was incredibly muted compared to the usual kerfuffle Katsuya loved to create. Simple things like handmade coffee and waffles for breakfast, and Katsuya’s “first” gift of the day was a scrapbook of all the small memories and photos he’d collected over the years. It was incredibly romantic and even Seto couldn’t help but blush.

“When did you take these?” he asked.

“Eh we all have cellphones. I got Mokuba and Isono in on some of them too. Anyway! I’ll be back soon, I’ve got to prepare lunch.”

“You know we have a chef available.”

“I don’t give a shit about that. Go upstairs and chill out.” And so Seto did exactly that, unwinding over a new book that Mokuba had given him after pouring over the scrapbook once more.

For lunch, Katsuya made Seto his favourite Steak; Filet Mignon with Fois Gras sauce. “How did you learn to make this?!” Seto asked with complete bewilderment. It smelled amazing, and despite the huge breakfast, Seto’s stomach growled.

Katsuya laughed. “A lot of failed attempts. Even the failed attempts tasted pretty good to me though! Look, I know it’s not restaurant quality, but I hope you like it all the same.”

“How long did it…”

“…doesn’t matter!” Katsuya cut in. “Now shut up and eat the damn thing.” Katsuya settled in beside him. “Afterwards, there’s desserts.”

Seto thought it tasted much better than restaurant quality. As cheesy as it was, because it was homemade it seemed to taste even better. There was no denying Katsuya had used some household funds to get some excellent quality ingredients, but flavours were easy to muddy, and this was beautiful and pronounced. He washed it down with a subtle Red Wine, while Katsuya drank just a green tea.

“How was it?” Katsuya asked, hopeful.

“Excellent. Thank you.”

“Phew!” Katsuya relaxed his shoulders. “I know I shouldn’t stress so much about ya birthday but ya know, I hope you’re feelin’ pretty special today.”

“I am.”

Katsuya grinned as he grabbed the plates and took them to the dishwasher, returning with a plate of beautifully decorated cupcakes. Some had blue frosting with the iconic dragons, some with strawberries.

“These look good,” Seto smiled, before a sly grin crept on his lips.

“If you even think about puttin’ that anywhere near my ass I’ll deck you.”

“I wasn’t thinking any such thing…”

“Whatever, ya asshole. I know that smile when I see it.” As they ate the strawberries between laughing and smiling, Seto found himself leaning in towards Katsuya to pay attention to everything he said. He wasn’t lying to Mokuba when he said he’d loved him. He’d never said it to Katsuya though. Maybe it was time to rip off the first bandaid?

“…and that’s when he…”

“Katsuya,” Seto interrupted, not following the story anymore.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Katsuya smiled brightly after the initial shock. “I love you too Seto. What are you, sappy now that you’ve turned thirty?”

“No.”

“I know you love me. But I’m very happy to hear you say it.” Katsuya grabbed some icing from his cupcake on his fingertip and placed it on Seto’s nose. “I love you too Seto. I really, really do.”

“I know.” Seto smiled back and relaxed, glad that had been received well. It felt so weird to say it. He’d never really even said it to Mokuba, let alone someone else.

-

So of course, Seto didn’t know when their “official” anniversary was. He also couldn’t really say how many years they’d “been together.” It was certainly more than five, and he knew that despite Katsuya’s coolness about the whole arrangement and lack of labels, Katsuya lived for anniversaries and parties. Seto couldn’t stop thinking about it as he was being driven to a shrine near the place Mokuba and him were born.

“How did you know about this place?” Seto asked as the car pulled up. The sky was an amazing golden glow, almost like the gods were there themselves granting him permission.

“Mokuba told me. He knows this is where you come to pray. What I _didn’t_ know was this is a shrine for love, but it makes sense after all.” Katsuya stood back watching Seto bow past the _torii_ gates and stand in front of the bell.

Seto felt a lump in his throat. Seto reminisced about the dusky memories of his mother holding his hand and letting him jump twice in the fallen autumn leaf piles, before giving Seto five-yen to throw into the prayer box. He remembered his first _omikuji_ – and how it told him the family was to be blessed that year, and then his mother told him she was pregnant with Mokuba when he asked what that meant and his face lit up like a thousand fireflies. He remembered vividly the one he drew after his mother died, that encouraged him to fight and that things wouldn’t always be this bad and he still kept a photo of it somewhere special in his office.

Seto got 100Y out of his wallet and drew his own fortune. It was pretty lucky – a few of the normal warnings like watch out for stairs, and be careful of the flu, but the love and family ones were wholly positive. He smiled as he looked at it, and then looked back at Katsuya who was just standing there with a smile on his face.

“Thank you.” Seto merely said, before praying in front of the bell, throwing in a coin.

It made sense to him that his wish was for this happiness to never end.

Once he finished his prayer, he felt Katsuya’s hand wrap in his and his head rest for a moment on his shoulder.

“I know it’s my birthday but I have something for you.”

Katsuya laughed. “No, you don’t! It’s your day!”

“Which is why I have something for you.”

Katsuya blinked as he saw something in Seto’s face change. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, it’s in the car.” Seto smiled, and Katsuya stepped away, letting Seto settle his pulse for a second.

“Wait, I’ve just got to tie my shoelace.”

And when Katsuya looked back, there was a small box open facing him and Seto was down on one knee looking up.

“Will you marry me?”


End file.
